Police: Afghan Guard Shoots Dead 2 NATO Troops

Kabul – An Afghan guard opened fire and shot dead two NATO troops accompanying a reconstruction convoy traveling in a northern province on Saturday, the Afghan police said.

The shooting took place in the Darah district of Panjshir province, about 62 miles (99 kilometers) north of the capital, Kabul, according to provincial police chief Gen. Mohammad Qasim Jangalbagh.

The police chief said the guard, who goes by the name Amanullah, was standing outside his home when the convoy passed by. He stopped the convoy, started arguing with the NATO troops and then opened fire, Jangalbagh said. A third coalition service member was wounded in the shooting.

Jangalbagh said another NATO service member fired back and killed Amanullah.

NATO said it was investigating the incident and did not confirm any casualties from the Panjshir shooting.

NATO has earlier said that 283 service members died in Afghanistan this year and 12 this month.

Shootings of NATO personnel by Afghan security forces have plagued the war effort for years.

The causes of the shootings have ranged from suspected infiltration by insurgent sleeper agents to spontaneous arguments between Afghan security personnel and NATO troops that turned violent.

According to Jangalbagh, the police chief, Amanullah worked as the bodyguard of the second-ranking official in Afghanistan's intelligence service -- Gen. Assam Din Assam, the deputy director for National Directorate for Security.